I can't imagine any teachers being happy about Betsy DeVos at the helm of the Education Dept. Whether they would support Gorsuch is another question.

But his reversal of the lower court's ruling in the Luke P case is just a smidgen of the numerous reasons why he shouldn't be a Supreme Court Justice. From what I've read about him, he is not a fan of the disenfranchised.

I saw a clip of his opening statement to Congress, where he praised his mother. I was waiting for the violin music, and video shots of our representatives wiping away tears.

Let's not forget Merrick Garland, President Obama's choice to fill the seat vacated by Scalia, after he passed. But one side of Congress wouldn't even allow a hearing to consider him.

Comey from the FBI testified today too ~ no wiretapping of Trump Tower by President Obama. And still, DT and his cronies insist that this is a lie, and that he was wiretapped. It just goes on and on and on ...

BBS ~

What great work you did advocating for appropriate education for your children. And you are so right that school administrators talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Every IEP meeting, I was patronized (and this is my biggest pet peeve). I always responded with facts, quoting laws, with Section numbers, the whole works. I came prepared, and they weren't used to that. They were used to parents, who were so confused about their children's disabilites, so stressed over all of their needs and the lack of cooperation they received, that they felt intimidated by the IEP Team.

I had to be relentless, demanding, and sometimes, I just had to say, "You do this, this, and this. Then we'll meet again. I'm leaving."

I read today that California is gearing up to lay off nearly 2,000 teachers and school administrators as the budget battle approaches. It's a threat, issued every year. Along with threats to cut the budgets serving disabled and elderly citizens. Always first on the chopping block.

My days of advocating on a larger scale are behind me. I have to advocate for Jon and Jim now, and I have no energy for any larger, more global advocacy.

And while I fear that both of them will suffer, if DT's proposed budget passes to become law, I can't really think about that right now. And that's what is truly tragic about what is happening in our country under this administration. Most people have major issues to contend with, and they cannot wrangle the strength to oppose what could devastate them and their families. Or, they rely on one news source for their information, and they aren't aware of how they will be impacted adversely by the passage of this budget.

I honestly don't know how we can manage 4 years of this. To me, that is just unfathomable, and it's only been 2 months today since &$$$!!!$$$ became "president."

Love & Light,

Rose

Mom to Jon, 48, (seizure disorder; Gtube; trache; colostomy; osteoporosis; hypothyroid; enlarged prostate; lymphedema, assorted mysteries) and Michael, 32, (intractable seizures; Gtube), who were born with an undiagnosed progressive neuromuscular disease and courageous spirits. Our Angel Michael received his wings in 2003 and now resides in Heaven. Our Angel Jon lives at home with me and Jim, the world's most wonderful dad.

He will never acknowledge that he is wrong. That is not a word in his limited vocabulary. His budget does just two things: dramatically increase an already bloated military budget, and reduce federal spending -- at the cost of the most vulnerable, the poor, the disabled, the elderly.

The secret service is required by law to protect the president, his immediate family, wherever they are. While a president is allowed to "fire" a particular agent, all that means is the person is assigned to a different job with the agency and is not in direct contact with the president.

The agency is already short of funds, and now they are required to guard him at the white house, his daughter and sons (and their families), his residence in New York and wife and son there, and Mar-a-Lago. The tower is a challenge because it is in a highly populated area, a public/private building. Other president homes have been single family dwellings, and many of them on compounds or ranches that were easily isolated. The Florida resort is a challenge for all the reasons the tower is, along with the problem of the sea and challenges from there.

He has retained his own security and supposedly they're working with the secret service but the secret service has the last word about how they'll perform. Being president, particularly one whose approval rating is at an historic low of 37%, increases security risks a thousands-fold over being a real estate agent, even one worth "billions".

I am hopeful that the intelligence community investigation will lead to impeachment and removal from office. I'd be glad if it led to some criminal indictments along the way. Get him before congress, get him under oath, catch him in the first lie to fall from his mouth (should be easy!), and move on. I remember that Bill Clinton was impeached for lying under oath about his affair, but since others in congress had their own indiscretions to hide, they didn't go on to remove him from office. In this instance, with an approval rating in the toilet and midterms looming, they might not be so forgiving.

One thing we can be sure of. He will be known as the worst. President. Ever.

Making health care available is far from making it affordable. Giving tax credits to people to buy insurance are useless if they already make so little they don't pay taxes. Allowing people to buy junk policies-- huge deductibles, limited coverage -- means that healthy people will buy those then be caught in serious trouble should their gamble not pay off and they're injured, or become ill. Giving block grants to states does not take into account the reality that cost of living in states vary wildly, and with no restrictions on the grants, there's no guarantee the money will be used for its intended purpose. Finally most people I know in Medicaid are either too disabled to work, or are already working at a low paying job without benefits. Attaching a work requirement makes little sense.

The ACA is NOT in a death spiral. Insurance companies make plenty of money. They've pulled out of areas because of greed....they weren't making enough money. There are no restrictions in the ACA that says they can't do business across state lines. They choose not to because each state has different regulations, and different agreements that have to be established with medical institutions, and the health ins companies don't want to be bothered. Their recalcitrance only leads to support for a single payer system, "Medicare for all".

Yes, there are things in the ACA that need fixing. Repairs need to be made. But repealing it will once again affect those who need it most...the poor, the disabled, the elderly, the sick. I swear the plan they've promised will eliminate all those folks-- we will die, save them a bunch of money. Which is their intention.

The extra money will be useful when he tweets something that gets us into war with a few other ugly countries..

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Rose, local there is an organization of 3-4 workers called Parent Advocates. They're paid by the school district, but nonetheless operate VERY independent of the district. It is free for the parents.They go with the parent to the meetings to secure the child's needs. They know all of the laws, procedures and policies. They know the cast of characters at the school and district level.

They do excellent work. I wish all districts had this, and more of them on staff. Of course they wouldn't need advocates, if the administrators kept the child's need paramount, and if they truly saw themselves as partners with parents.

Howie, it doesn't sound as if being wrong is a concept that Trump understands on a personal level. He lives in a world of "alternative facts."

Not unlike Steve Jobs in that particular character trait. This was something that. Isaacson wrote about extensively in his book on Steve Jobs. And like DT, Jobs had a cruel streak in him shown in his professional and personal life.

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Now that it has been officially confirmed by the FBI and NSA that an investigation is ongoing regarding Trump Organization and possible ties to Russia during the campaign, I think maybe it is time to write our Senators and demand a Special Prosecutor.

It was my understanding on the news today that Sean Spicer had visited the Hill and told the Senators that if they did not vote for the new Health Care bill that they would be out in the next primary. Anyone else know if I understood that correctly? I can't believe that any Senator would allow themselves to be threatened - however all DT would have to do is tell his base not to vote for these Senators and I think many would follow him.

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I suspect that's how politics often go behind the scenes, LBJ was one tough SOB but he got all that civil rights stuff through not to menton Medicare, despite the hostile Congress. I read up on LBJ and he was quite a nasty guy, but effective in politics.

I had thought Obamas downfall was he did not know how to, or care to, engage in dirty politics and hence, the stalemates. But I could be wrong, maybe he did engage in nasty behavior to coerce votes, but it sure didn't look like it.

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News today about Russian payoffs to Mannafort....the Repubs know they got DT, they're going to move in for impeachment , but only as soon as they get the definitive stuff on him that is treasonous or criminal that can kill any revolt by the DT base. There are too many Repubs now that are offended by him, and worrried about national security....I think already they got powerful guys like Graham, Rubio, and MCCain for sure. McConnell will come aboard as soon as he sees it's inevitable.

I still think they will convince DT to resign and use a face saving excuse like family or money, in exchange for not prosecuting him and his friends. At least I hope so.

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